by Navy Office of Community Outreach

MILLINGTON, Tenn. – Navy Midshipman Jordyn Marxen, of Bremerton, participated in the Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps ship selection draft as a future member of the U.S. Navy’s Surface Warfare Officer community.

More than 280 midshipmen at 70 Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps units around the country have selected to serve in the Navy as surface warfare officers. Each selecting midshipman is ranked according to his or her grade point average, aptitude scores, and physical fitness.

“The University of Washington NROTC program was one of the first six units to be established,” said Marxen. “Located in Seattle, Husky Battalion is surrounded with countless opportunities. From leadership and volunteering positions on and off campus, to the endless outdoor activities of the Pacific Northwest, every day is a chance to explore and learn something new.”

According to their rankings, each midshipman provided their preference of ship or homeport to the junior officer detailer at the Navy Personnel Command in Millington, Tennessee. If these preferences were available, they were assigned as requested.

“Ship selection is the first step in my naval career,” said Marxen. “Having the opportunity to select where I’ll be serving is exciting and a little nerve racking since this choice will affect me for the next 2 years. I’m excited to be able to apply from what I’ve learned at NROTC and even more excited for the opportunities to come.”

Marxen, a 2012 Olympic High School graduate, has selected to serve aboard the USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 93). Marxen is majoring in both astronomy and physics while attending the University of Washington. Upon graduation, Marxen will receive a commission as a Navy Ensign and report aboard Forrest Sherman as a surface warfare officer.

Homeported in Norfolk, Virginia, Forrest Sherman is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. Destroyers are warships that provide multi-mission offensive and defensive capabilities. Destroyers can operate independently or as part of carrier strike groups, surface action groups, amphibious ready groups, and underway replenishment groups.

The midshipmen’s selection of their ship is not only a milestone for them but also an important day for the ships in the fleet. Not only do the midshipmen choose where they are going to start their Naval career, but the ship they choose will also gain a motivated, eager, young officer to help lead and improve an already great team.

“This is an exciting day,” said Rear Adm. Stephen C. Evans, commander, Naval Service Training Command, which oversees the NROTC program. “We have some of the finest talent in our nation and we have the opportunity to marry them up with some of our finest teams in our fleet.”

Evans also told the midshipmen that should be excited, because they have a great future ahead of them on some of the Navy’s best platforms around the world.

While NROTC units are spread out across the country and vary in size, they all teach midshipmen the values, standards, abilities and responsibility that it takes to become a Navy officers and lead this nation’s sons and daughters in protecting freedom on the seven seas.

“Every day in NROTC provided me the opportunity to learn and grow,” said Marxen. “From volunteering for small tasks to being the Battalion Master Chief, I tried to learn something from every experience. This experience helped me become more confident and learn how to be responsible for 90 plus personnel, which will come in handy being a Division Officer.”